A bibliometric analysis of hidradenitis suppurativa literature over the past 50 years

BackgroundWe aimed to describe the existing literature on hidradenitis suppurative (HS) in the last 50 years and the key processes made over time. MethodsOn July 27, 2022, we searched for HS studies published in the last 50 years (from 1972 to 2022) using Web of Science. The search was made using the keywords Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Acne Inversa. The data are subdivided according to publications and citations rate, country, publication year, journal and impact factor, keywords analysis of top 100 cited papers study design, and pediatric versus adults. ResultsIn total, 5072 documents were retrieved. The annual number of HS publications has increased over the years. The manuscript with the highest citation number was by Zouboulis et al., a total of 552 citations from 2015. The manuscript with the highest citation rate per year was by Mantovani et al., with a citation rate of 70.7/year. According to keywords analysis among the top 100 cited papers, most of the articles focused on management, followed by the pathogenesis of HS. Only 805 out of 5072 (15.8%) HS articles described the disease among children. ConclusionsIn the current analysis, we shed light on HS's transformations over the last 50 years. In addition, we described the 100 top cited papers and other essential characteristics not examined before, such as HS research in children, gender bias research, specific pharmacological therapy with keyword analysis, comorbidities, preventative care, and publications per country after controlling for population.

Automated summary

This study reviewed the literature on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in the last 50 years, analyzing publication count, citation rate, research topics, and more. The results showed an increasing trend in HS publications over the years, with the main focus on treatment and pathogenesis. Additionally, only 15.8% of the studies examined the disease in children.